Express Entry Continues to Prioritize Skilled Workers and Francophones Through Regular Invitation Rounds
Canada’s Express Entry pathway is still the fastest way for skilled immigrants to become permanent residents in Canada. Throughout the year, IRCC has maintained regular invitation rounds based on applicants’ CRS.
Although Express Entry draws have no fixed schedules, they are conducted a few times each month, with some weeks even having multiple draws.
General and Category-Based Draws
IRCC holds different types of Express Entry invitation rounds each month. Selection draws are completely unannounced.
General Express Entry draws are for candidates that are competing for eligible Express Entry programs. In these draws, the higher your CRS score, the better.
In contrast, category-based selection draws are for candidates with specific skills or language abilities that are aligned with Canada’s priorities. In this type of draw, skilled workers are prioritized based on how their skills or occupation is needed.
Processing Times
It is important to note that processing times can vary depending on the type of application and the applicant’s unique personal circumstances. However, the IRCC aims to process most in as little as 6 months.
What This Means for Applicants
Because invitation rounds can change from one draw to another, applicants should focus on strengthening the factors that improve their scores.
More so, even if they are not among the top CRS scorers in the Express Entry pool, candidates with skills that align with current labor market priorities may have more chances to be invited as Canada continues to use both general and category-based draws.
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently conducted the third Express Entry draw of the month, extending invitations to apply (ITAs) to 1,980 individuals in a general draw. The required Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for candidates in this round was 524.
This recent draw comes on the heels of two previous Express Entry draws on March 12 and March 13. In the draw on March 12, which was also general in nature, 2,850 ITAs were issued to candidates who had at least a CRS score of 525, marking the lowest general draw score for the year until this latest draw.
The CRS score for the March 12 draw showed a decrease of nine points from the last general draw on February 28 and a significant 21-point decline from the first general draw of 2024 on January 10, which had a CRS score requirement of 546. In its general draws, IRCC considers applicants from all programs and categories.
The March 13 draw targeted candidates in transport occupations specifically, requiring a minimum CRS score of 430 for consideration. This was the first draw of its kind since December 20, 2023, and since introducing category-based selection draws, IRCC has issued ITAs to 2,645 candidates in transport occupations.
Category-based selection draws began in May 2023 as a strategy for IRCC to pinpoint Express Entry candidates possessing skills and attributes in high demand, enabling the issuance of ITAs accordingly.
These draws are organized into six categories, which will remain consistent through 2024: Healthcare, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Trades, Transport, Agriculture and Agri-food occupations, and those with strong French proficiency.
These categories are reflective of Canada’s pressing labor needs and IRCC’s goal to foster the French language outside Quebec, with French-speaking applicants receiving a significant portion of ITAs since the introduction of these categories.
Express Entry serves as a management system for several immigration programs, including the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Candidates across all programs are evaluated and ranked in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which allocates points based on criteria such as language skills, education, occupation, work experience, and age. The highest-ranking candidates are more likely to be invited to apply for permanent residency.
Upon submission of their final application, candidates can expect a decision from IRCC within six months, in line with the department’s service standards.
